Celebrating with the Wright Stuff

   Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first flight and for celebrating, the sky's the limit.
   Earlier this year the North Gwinnett HS Air Force ROTC unit went to Robins Air Force Base to see the USAF "Thunderbirds" and a flying replica of the Wright Flyer.
   Major Bruce Bonds said the ROTC unit also connected with the Experimental Aircraft Association, which gives free flights to youth between the ages of eight and seventeen. Cadets flew with the EAA's Young Eagles program and made themselves part of aviation history.
   The Gwinnett EAA chapter celebrates the part they played in helping their national organization reach it's goal of flying one million young people before the Wright brothers' centennial anniversary. After a 20-30 minute flight, EAA awards students certificates then records their data online in the logbook in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. EAA's Duane Huff said 115 Gwinnett pilots flew over 3500 kids, donated over $15,000 worth of gasoline and tapped out 264,000 keystrokes documenting these flights. The best news is that even thought EAA has met its goal, the program still flies. Interested youth can call Huff at 770-962-3117.
All year local pilots have been flying to Kitty Hawk to observe the century mark. (Not everyone can take off work Dec. 17.) 
   "It's a pilgrimage," said Chris Gerdes, production manager of Transtel Group, Inc. in Norcross. He and his wife, Heather, senior writer for CNN Headline News, will fly up this weekend. An aviation enthusiast, Gerdes has read extensively about the Wright brothers' work and notes that Wilbur and Orville were just as accomplished in carpentry as they were in their understanding of aeronautics. "The propeller is a wing that stands on end and spins. It's not just that they thought to do that, but all the planing and sanding and getting the angles just right is amazing."
   And if you've noticed an unusual amount of air traffic today, it's the EAA Friendship Flights celebrating the event. EAA encourages anyone with a pilot's license to fly today. EAA is also hosting an open house at Briscoe Field. (Call Huff or e-mail me for more details.)
   The biggest lift of all today will be for Terry Adams of Berkeley Lake who is participating in the main event in Kitty Hawk. A retired regional manager for Snap-on Tools and US Navy veteran, Adams has been interested in planes all his life.
   Adams is one of only 25 Warbirds from the entire United States who've been invited to participate in today's ceremony. A winner of several major awards at the annual air show in Oshkosh, Adams will fly his 1944 World War II Pensacola Naval Advanced Trainer to commemorate the event that revolutionized transportation. He will compile a video of this historic happening to present to interested groups. (Info: 770-613-9501)
   Hmmm. Adams just might take off with a whole new career here.

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